Street cleaning vacuum system

ABSTRACT

A truck configured to support one or more vacuum systems including one or more vacuum pick-up devices for vacuuming debris from a roadway, street, runway, parking lot or similar surface. One or more air nozzles positioned aft of a vacuum pick-up housing serve to disrupt the debris such that the vacuum pick-up devices are more efficiently able to vacuum the debris through vacuum ducts and ultimately into a debris container. Flaps forward of vacuum housings further contain disrupted debris so that the vacuum pick-up devices are able to vacuum the debris. The system is used by driving the truck over a subject area and activating an air source to disrupt debris on the subject area. The disrupted debris is then suctioned or vacuumed into vacuum ducts and deposited into a debris container. The debris container includes an exhaust fan for disseminating clean air separated from debris including dirt and dust.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a divisional application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/946,681 filed Nov, 15, 2010.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The embodiments of the present invention relate to a mobile device for cleaning road and street surfaces. More particularly, the embodiments relate to a mobile, vacuum cleaning system and method of using the same on concrete and asphalt surfaces or the like.

BACKGROUND

Vehicles configured with street or road cleaning systems are well-known in the prior art. The systems commonly utilize combinations of brushes and water to collect debris and clean a subject road surface. Unfortunately, the prior art systems suffer from drawbacks, including inefficient operation, large water consumption, complex configurations and ineffective results. Often times the prior art systems simply use brushes which tend to move debris from one location to another without collecting the debris and leave large, hazardous pools of water. Additionally, the current systems cause dust to be disseminated throughout a wide area surrounding the cleaning system.

Even though the current street sweeper systems suffer from the aforementioned drawbacks, there is a tremendous need for such sweepers. Accidental and intentional litter, dust from construction projects, landscape remnants and similar debris commonly finds its way onto roads or streets. When on streets, these materials are unsightly and can create a hazard for drivers. In addition, construction sites and the like must abide by environmental regulations requiring a clean work site.

Thus, there is a need for a street cleaning system that overcomes the drawbacks of the prior art street cleaning systems.

SUMMARY

Accordingly, a system embodiment of the present invention comprises a truck configured to support one or more vacuum pick-up devices for suctioning or vacuuming debris from a roadway, street, runway, parking lot or similar surface. One or more air nozzles positioned aft and/or forward of a vacuum pick-up housing serve to disrupt the debris such that the vacuum pick-up devices are more efficiently able to vacuum the debris through vacuum ducts and ultimately into a debris container. Flaps forward and/or aft of vacuum pick-up housings further contain disrupted debris so that the vacuum pick-up devices are able to suction or vacuum the debris.

The system is used by driving the truck over a subject area and activating an air source to disrupt debris on the subject area. The disrupted debris is then suctioned or vacuumed into vacuum ducts and deposited into a debris container. The debris container includes an exhaust fan for disseminating clean air separated from debris including dirt and dust and a bag house to separate debris from the air.

Other variations, embodiments and features of the present invention will become evident from the following detailed description, drawings and claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIGS. 1 a and 1 b illustrate side views of the vacuum system installed on a truck according to the embodiments of the present invention;

FIG. 2 illustrates a side view of a vacuum pick-up device installed on a truck according to the embodiments of the present invention;

FIG. 3 illustrates a rear, perspective view of the vacuum pick-up device installed on a truck according to the embodiments of the present invention;

FIG. 4 illustrates a side, upper view of the vacuum pick-up device installed on a truck with a curb sweeper in a partially extended position according to the embodiments of the present invention;

FIG. 5 illustrates a rear, perspective view of the vacuum pick-up device installed on a truck with the curb sweeper in a fully extended position according to the embodiments of the present invention;

FIG. 6 illustrates a side view of a vacuum pick-up device installed on a truck with a curb sweeper in a fully extended position according to the embodiments of the present invention;

FIGS. 7 a and 7 b illustrate side views of the vacuum pick-up device according to the embodiments of the present invention;

FIGS. 8 a and 8 b illustrate leading edge and back edge views, respectively, of the vacuum pick-up device according to the embodiments of the present invention; and

FIG. 9 illustrates a air nozzle according to the embodiments of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

For the purposes of promoting an understanding of the principles in accordance with the embodiments of the present invention, reference will now be made to the embodiments illustrated in the drawings and specific language will be used to describe the same. It will nevertheless be understood that no limitation of the scope of the invention is thereby intended. Any alterations and further modifications of the inventive feature illustrated herein, and any additional applications of the principles of the invention as illustrated herein, which would normally occur to one skilled in the relevant art and having possession of this disclosure, are to be considered within the scope of the invention claimed.

Reference is now made to the figures wherein like parts are referred to by like numerals throughout. FIGS. 1 a and 1 b show side views of a first embodiment of the present invention wherein the street cleaning system is generally referred to by reference numeral 100. The street cleaning system 100 incorporates several components, including debris container 120, compressor 130 and motor 140 (e.g. diesel engine). Also shown is a fan 107, exhaust duct 109, vacuum pick-up device 111, vacuum duct 113 and bag house 121.

Now referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, the unit 100 includes, in one embodiment, a pair of retractable vacuum pick-up devices 111 positioned side-by-side beneath a truck. In one embodiment, the pick-devices are 4 feet in length such that the pair cleans an area 8 feet wide. The vacuum pick-up devices 111 include a housing 112 defining an elongated pick-up area. A vacuum duct 113 connected to the housing 112 extends from a vacuum source comprising a fan 107 driven by motor 140 thereby creating a negative vacuum (i.e., suction) within the housing 112 to vacuum debris from a subject surface as the truck passes thereover. A hydraulic or air piston 114 facilitates the retraction of the vacuum pick-up devices 111 when not in use. The piston 114, and therefore position of the vacuum pick-up devices 111, is controlled by an operator in the cab of the truck via a control panel or system in wired or wireless communication with the vacuum pick-up devices 111.

One or more air nozzles 115 positioned aft of the housing 112 are directed forward to disrupt debris proximate the housing 112. The air nozzles 115 may also be positioned forward of the housing 112 and directed rearward. In another embodiment, the air nozzles 115 may be directed forward and rearward. The compressor 130 generates the air which is forced through the one or more air nozzles 115 to disrupt the debris proximate the housing 112. One or more hoses 117 extending from the compressor 130 to the vacuum devices 111 carry the high velocity air to disrupt the subject debris. The one or more nozzles 115 may be positioned intermittingly along the length of the housing 112. Flaps 116 are positioned along or near leading edges of the housing 112 to maintain disrupted debris within the pick-up area. If the air nozzles 115 are forward of the housing 112, the flaps 116 may be positioned near or along a trailing edge of the housing 112. If the air nozzles 115 are directed forward and rearward, flaps 116 may be positioned along both leading and trailing edges of the housing 112. FIGS. 7 a, 7 b, 8 a and 8 b illustrate views of the vacuum pick-up device 111 positioned relative to the ground. FIG. 9 illustrates an air nozzle 115 with hose 117 providing a passageway for the high velocity air.

Once the debris is disrupted, the debris is sucked-up or vacuumed through the housing 112, into the vacuum duct 113 and into a debris container 120. The debris container 120 communicates with a bag house 121 for separating dirt and dust from the air. The bag house 121 includes one or more air filters or similar items for separating dust and fine debris from clean air. The clean air is then exhausted to the atmosphere via exhaust openings 122 in exhaust duct 109. In one embodiment, the fan 107 draws 6000 ft³ of air which suctions debris from the ground via the vacuum duct 113 and pulls clean air through said bag house 121 for exhaust to the atmosphere. Any heavy debris collects at a bottom of the debris container 120 for later removal. In one embodiment, a pair of screws or augers 123 facilitate the removal of the debris from the debris container 120.

FIGS. 4 through 6 show the vacuum pick-up device 111 with a curb and/or crack sweeper 135 in a partially extended position and fully extended position. Like the vacuum pick-up devices 111, the curb sweeper 135 may be retracted when not being used. The operator of the truck controls the position of the curb sweeper 135 via a control panel or system. A curb sweeper duct 136 extends from the curb sweeper 135 to the debris container 120. The curb sweeper 135 may use the same fan 107 which creates the suction for the vacuum devices 111 or a separate dedicated fan or vacuum system.

In one embodiment of the present invention, the truck supporting the vacuum system 100 is able to travel at 4-5 mph while cleaning a subject surface.

Although the invention has been described in detail with reference to several embodiments, additional variations and modifications exist within the scope and spirit of the invention as described and defined in the following claims. 

1. A surface cleaning system comprising: a vacuum source; a compressor; a debris container; one or more vacuum pick-up devices in communication with said vacuum source; one or more debris ducts leading from said one or more vacuum pick-up devices to said debris container; one or more air nozzles positioned proximate said one or more vacuum pick-up devices and positioned to disrupt debris proximate the vacuum pick-up devices, said one or more air nozzles further positioned such that ejected air initially contacts a surface beneath openings of said one or more vacuum pick-up devices to disrupt debris directly beneath said openings.
 2. The system of claim 1 wherein the one or more vacuum pick-up devices include an elongated housing.
 3. The system of claim 2 wherein said one or more air nozzles are positioned near or along a trailing edge of the housing and directed forward.
 4. The system of claim 3 further comprising a flap positioned along a leading edge of the housing.
 5. The system of claim 2 wherein said one or more air nozzles are positioned near or along a leading edge of the housing and directed rearward.
 6. The system of claim 3 further comprising a flap positioned along a trailing edge of the housing.
 7. The system of claim 1 wherein the debris container includes one or more air filters.
 8. The system of claim 1 wherein said debris container includes one or more exhaust openings. 